All That Matters
by ElaineSohma
Summary: Zoey's pregnant. Its official. There's just one problem: the father of her child. The other problem? How their families will deal with the knowledge of their relationship...that is, if they have one. Againstshipping. semi-dark. M for sex, language, themes


Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon!:P

this was (kind of) requested by...DOESNTLIKEBRACES... I think...O_O Please correct me if I'm mistaken!

Summary: Zoey's pregnant. Its official. There's just one problem: the father of her child. The other problem? How their families will deal with the knowledge of their relationship...that is, if they have one.

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><p>A plus sign. Who could've thought that a symbol so insignificant could alter her life completely? What was even worse was that it was just one plus sign. There were three.<p>

It was definite.

Zoey Bruno, age sixteen, was pregnant. Now for the question of the day: how was she going to tell people? Oh, god. To add to it, she knew exactly who the father was. She'd slept with two men in her entire life, and she knew for a fact that the first guy she was with was over four months ago. That left the second guy.

But the day she took the tests was also the day he came over to visit her, only to tell her that he was leaving to go to Unova the next day. She knew she should have told him. She should have explained herself right then and there. But he kissed her, making her temporarily forget the pregnancy tests she hid under the sink.

He lifted her up by her thighs, putting her on the counter. She wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him back as hard as he was. He pulled back and whispered in her ear that he didn't have to go for an hour. Though she knew for a fact that sex while pregnancy was safe, she didn't want to risk it. Instead, she pushed her hand down his pants, while he lifted her skirt.

Instead, however, he knelt down in front of her, putting his head between her knees. When he finished pleasuring her, he simply looked up at her, smirking, and said, "Something to remember me by."

But it was one of many things. A major one was his child in her uterus. The week after he left, she told her sister, Maylene. She started to cry, wondering why her baby sister wouldn't tell her who the father was. But Zoey didn't want anyone to know, because really, after they slept together, they agreed to not tell anyone, at all. It would cause too many problems between their already-confrontational families. But with him gone to Unova, Zoey felt alone, even though her sister and her friends were always with her.

Zoey had been in love with Paul Samuels for as long as she could remember. When she was fifteen, she was so confused over the longing feeling she felt for him, despite having a boyfriend. To try and get rid of those feelings, two months into her relationship with Gianni Vitale, she slept with him, and severely regretted it.

Paul was the only one to notice the change in her. She was sitting across from him at the table in the dining room in his house, since she had slept over with his sister the night before. His black eyes were narrowed at her, his hand on his spoon in the bowl of cereal. Embarrassed, she lifted her red face to look at him. She blinked her brown eyes, staring back at him.

"What?" she asked, blushing. Paul blinked.

"You're different." he said, like it was obvious.

"I'm not different." she looked down at the Eggos she had made for herself. She had buttered them and put syrup on them and cut them up all nice, but she had absolutely no appetite. But Paul stood up and leaned closer to her across the table, his hands on the wood. She moved so her back was against the chair, blinking in confusion.

"Zoey," he went on, staring directly at her face, "what happened?"

She didn't answer, the tears that came to her eyes answering for her. She lowered her head, not wanting him to see her cry. But he put his hand on her chin and lifted her head, repeating his question. She averted her eyes and mumbled, "I... I'm... I mean..."

Frowning, Paul stood up straight and walked around the table to sit next to her. He put his hand on her back as she tried to stammer out her answer. Finally, it all came bubbling over and she told him everything, crying almost hysterically.

"And-And he just," she sniffed, shaking her head, "he didn't seem to care..." she looked at him, her face red and blotchy. "He didn't care that I was in pain. And it-it really, really hurt. He-He just kept- he wouldn't-" she paused. "He didn't even realize I was crying."

Paul's usual emotionless expression had seriously changed. His thick, purple eyebrows were knit together, his eyes wide and angry and upset at the same time. His mouth was turned down instead of a straight line, frowning deeply. Just as Zoey started to think she was calming down, another sob came up her chest and she reached out, putting her head and hands on his torso. She clenched her fingers in his tee-shirt, crying out loudly as she started to sob again. Paul simply wrapped his arms around her, letting her cry as long as she wanted.

Zoey had tried plenty of times to break up with Gianni, and tell Paul just how she felt about him. Her relationship ended when he caught him cheating. Since she didn't love him, she didn't cry about that. She cried more because she gave her virginity to a cheating bastard. Of course, Paul was the only one who knew that.

Her first time with Paul was on her 16th birthday, a month after she broke up with Gianni. After the party his sister threw for her, she was sitting on the back patio of the Gym, poking at her cake which was very unappealing. The guests had already gone home, leaving her alone with her sister, Paul, and his older brother. He sat down next to her on the ground, leaning back on his hands.

"So," he said, turning his head to look at her. Blushing, she pushed her scarlet bangs behind her ears as he went on, "Feel old yet?"

"N-No," she smiled. "Not really." he looked at him. "That means you're 17, huh?"

"Guess so." Paul shrugged, his chin length purple hair falling as he looked up at the dark sky. "I feel old." he looked back at her, smirking. "Weren't you just a lanky, ugly little twelve year old?"

She blushed worse. "Ugly?"

His expression changed, his eyebrows raising. "Oh- no, I didn't mean it like that."

"Then how'd you mean it?"

"I mean, you're hot now."

Zoey blinked. Paul looked away, realizing what he said. His head fell back, and then he laid on his back, crossing his fingers over his stomach as he stared at the constellations. Surprsied, she laid back next to him, and said, "Is that so?"

"That is so."

Zoey giggled and moved to lay on her side, folding her arm under her head to act as a pillow. She asked, frowning a bit, "Does that mean that... if I asked you... you'd sleep with me?"

His eyes wide, he dropped his head to the side to stare at her. "What?"

Zoey sat up quickly, putting her hand on her cheek, exclaiming, "Omigod, I can't believe I just said that! Omigod, I-I didn't- Please, tell me I didn't just say that out loud!"

"Zoey-" he sat up.

"God, I'm so stupid- that was supposed to stay in my mind!" she went to look at him to continue rambling, when he pressed his open mouth against hers, kissing her hard. But he pulled back and said, "I have two things I have to make perfectly clear. One- this is a one time thing. Yeah, I called you hot and I'd love to sleep with you, but you're also one of my closest friends. Anything else would just be weird."

Zoey nodded, grinning. She moved to kneel beside him, her hnds on his chest. He grabbed her wrist and went on, "Second- you tell no one. At all. Not Alicia or Elaine or Maylene or Crystal or anyone. Don't even write it down anywhere, because God only knows that if someone were to find out, all Hell will break lose."

Of course, she knew how accurate that was. When her older sister and his older brother started to date, Zoey's mother freaked out horribly. So, Zoey agreed to his conditions. The next thing she knew, she was quietly leading him to her bedroom, leaving the lights off. They moved slow in the dark on her bed. He was surprisingly gentle with her, holding her close to him at all times. It was almost like he was second guessing himself, but Zoey just giggled, helping him. It took longer than she'd imagined, and as they began to near their end, he clamped his mouth down on hers to muffle her noises.

When all was said and done, Paul gathered his clothes as she lay in bed, exhausted and sweating under her comforter. Before he left, Paul leaned over to her, and kissed her hard, saying, "Forget what I said about the only time."

Zoey just nodded, agreeing completely. She still wasn't exactly sure how he felt about her. Maybe he was in love with her, too. She had no way of knowing, since the next time she saw him, he just blushed. He didn't kiss her or hug her. Just blushed. When they were alone, however, he did kiss her, asking if she was alright.

"Why wouldn't I be?" she said, her arms around his neck. She tilted her head. Paul kept his arms around her waist tight. She went on, "I'm fine. I'm... I'm great and perfect and wonderful."

Their relationship was a purpley physical one. They didn't go on dates or kiss outside the privacy of Zoey's bedroom. No one knew for months, until Paul's cousin, Elaine, was visiting Zoey. The brunette girl had been sitting on Zoey's bed as the red head went to go and get something to eat. Blinking her green eyes skeptically, she crawled over to the trash bin by Zoey's bed. She saw what she thought she had, and gasped.

"What!" Zoey yelped, reentering the room. She held a bowl of popcorn in her pale hands. She was just wearing a big black tee-shirt and panties, since she was comfortable wtih Elaine.

"Zoey Rose Bruno!" Elaine yelled, reaching into the trash. She picked something up out of it, waving it through the air. "What the hell is this! A condom? What- you have a boyfriend?"

"N-No." Zoey stammered, staring at it. She grimaced. "You might want to put that back and go wash your hands."

"Why?" she scoffed, throwing it back down into the trash. "I've done it before."

Zoey desperately wanted to tell her. She need to tell someone that she was finally intimate with him. She was so in love with him that it hurt not knowing how he felt about her. Finally, she sat down across from her, staring down in the popcorn bowl. But she looked up at her friend, smiling, and said, "I have to ask you something."

"Go ahead."

"What would you do... if... I told you I was in love with Paul?"

Elaine blinked, and then shuddered. "Ew. Gross." but she gasped, standing up out of shock. "NO!"

Zoey didn't answer, grinning as she pushed popcorn into her mouth. Elaine started to ramble, pacing around her bedroom. When Zoey finally tuned her in, she heard, "...omigod, what if you got pregnant?" and her eyes widened. "I mean, God, Zoey! You're sixteen!"

"You whore- you're younger than me and you said you had sex before too!"

"I'm a lying whore!" Elaine threw her hands up in the air. "Are you kidding! I've never even been kissed before!"

"So then why'd you say that you've done it?"

"Because I wanted to!"

After that, Elaine said she didn't want to talk about it anymore. In fact, she didn't talk much the rest of the night. At about ten o'clock, she stood up from the bed, and said over the TV, "I'm sorry, Zoey- I love you to death, but the thought of you having sex with my cousin is just... its too much to fathom." she picked up her backback and gave her friend a hug. "I'll call you, OK?"

"Alright."

When she left, tears spiked in the corners of Zoey's eyes. Her best friend just walked out on her. Upset, she found herself getting dressed and walking around Veilstone in the middle of the night. Without realizing it, she knocked on Paul's front door. She hadn't even noticed it had started to rain.

It wasn't Paul who opened the door, like she'd hoped, but his older, yet identical, older brother. Reggie had the same black eyes and purple hair, but he was taller and his face was softer. When he saw her, his eyebrows raised.

"Zoey!" he exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"Is-Is Paul here?" she stammered, shivering as Reggie let her inside. It was July, so the air conditioning was on. It gave her goosebumps.

"Uh, no." Reggie shook his head apoligetically. The TV in the living room was playing some movie. Zoey didn't recognize it. He went on, "Sorry, he went to the store about a half hour ago. He should be home any minute though."

As if on que, the front door opened again, and Zoey heard, "Dammit, next time you need milk, go your damn self!"

She looked, seeing him as drenched as he was. His purple hair stuck to his forehead, and he carried a plastic bag. His shirt was soaked, clinging to his chest and sides. When he flipped his bangs out of his face, he saw Zoey, and his eyes widened. He blushed.

"Zoey." he said, blinking. "Why are you here?"

"Uhm," she cleared her throat. "I-I just...I don't know." she folded her arms, shivering again. "I-I think Elaine is mad at me and I just... I was walking and I ended up here." she shrugged, shaking her head. "I guess I- I wanted- I wanted to talk to you... about something."

"Oh... OK." he lifted up the plastic bag. "Just let me put this stuff away."

"Go ahead."

He walked into the kitchen, and a few minutes later, he walked back out to her, and put his hand on her back, ushering her up the stairs to his bedroom- the second door on the right. She'd been in his room plenty of times, and it was always warm because Paul was never warm. It was a nice change from the AC in the rest of the house.

Exhausted, she plopped down on his bed, face down in his pillow. Paul sat down next to her, laying back.

"What happened?" he asked, folding his hands on his stomach.

"E-Elaine was going to sleep over," she answered, her voice tremebling, "A-And she-she found a condom in the trash and- and she was getting upset because she thought that I was seeing someone and didn't tell her, and really, I don't even know if I'm seeing anyone," she moved her head to look at him, tears in her eyes. "What is this, Paul? Are we dating or just sleeping together? I don't care either way, but I need to know."

Paul stared at her, shocked. He moved to lay on his side, and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into him. She put her head on his chest, unable to stop the tears from falling down her wet face. She sniffed, and sobbed, "I mean, I don't know what do, because I really like being with you but if its making my best friend upset with me, then I dont know what to do." she looked up at him, and he wiped away her tears. She sniffled again. "Do you love me, Paul? I mean, its been three months and you've never once done anything affectionate to me without a condom or a lack of clothing."

His face flushed, and he couldn't help but groan, sitting up, "Zoey, why do you... have to ask stuff like that?"

" 'Ask stuff like that?' " she sat up straight, clearly offended. "What the hell does that mean?"

"It means, things are fine the way they are." he stood up, and walked over to his dresser. He pulled his shirt over his head, throwing it down. He pulled another tee-shirt out from the dresser and went on, "Things are great. I mean, " he looked at her, holding his shirt in his hands. "Its like... you know, we're friends."

"Yeah." she snaped. "I know. Trust me, I know that we're friends. But we're friends," she dropped one foot off the bed, and stood up. "Who sleep together, and Paul, friends don't sleep together!"

"Would you stop yelling?" he hissed, glaring at her. "In case you've forgotten, I have three loud-ass siblings who gossip to survive day-to-day. If one of them hears you saying that-"

"But you don't understand!" she exclaimed, her arms out in front of her. "I want people to know! I want there to be something to tell my best friends about. I want to tell Elaine that you're my boyfriend and I really, really like you, even when you're all anti-social and depressing! I-I want to tell Alicia that she shouldn't be so mean to you and talk about you, because really, you're a good person." she sniffed, her voice wavering as she spoke. "Paul, you don't... realize how... how much I..."

Zoey stopped, lifting her hands to wipe her face. She felt him gently grip her wrists, pulling her hands way. He put his palm on her cheek, getting rid of her tears.

"Zoey," he answered quietly, "you don't understand either. What we have- its really good. We don't have to worry about- about dates-" her eyes widened as he went on, totally oblivious to the cracking sound in her chest. "And what people think. We're not even dating, and one of your friends turned on you." she gasped. "Your entire family already hates me, and they think we're just friends. Could you imagine if your brother found out we were having sex?"

All of a sudden, there was a sharp stinging on his cheek. It took him a split second to realize that she'd slapped him across the face. She stammered, "Y-You bastard!" he raised his eyebrows. She glared at him, pushing him away from her. "I can't believe you'd even think something like that! You'd rather not have to deal with my family than be in a real relationship with me?"

"Zoey, be quiet-"

"Don't you dare tell me to be quiet!" she yelled, pointing at him. "In case you haven't realized, I like you! A lot! Paul," she shook her head, her arms dropping to her sides. "I really care about you. And I'd like to believe you care about me too."

Paul put his big hands on her wet arms. "Of course I do."

"Enough to be with me in a serious relationship?"

When he didn't answer right away, Zoey put her hands on his and pushed his arms back gently. She quietly said, "I understand now." she stared down at the ground. "You... don't... care about me."

"Zoey-"

"I get it now. You're a guy, and sex is sex." she took a step back, tears falling down her face again. "Sex doesn't mean anything to a guy. Well, it means something to a girl." before he could say anything, she ran out of his room and down the stairs. It took him a moment to comprehend the situation, but as soon as he did, he threw on his shirt and called out her name, running after her. He ran past Reggie in the living room, who shouted about what was wrong. But Paul didn't have the time to answer. He saw Zoey walking down the road.

He knew she'd run if he called out to her, so instead, he just ran to her as fast as he could. Finally when he was close enough, he yelled out her name in the rain. A few feet away from her, she turned around, watching as he stopped running.

"Just go away, Paul." she cried. "I get it now. Find another sex toy."

She turned to walk, but he reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her back into him. When she turned to yell, he put his hand on her face and kissed her hard. She pushed him back, but he grabbed her other hand and kissed her again.

"Paul, let go of me." she snapped, struggling against his grip.

"Not until you listen to me!" Paul unintentionally yelled, scowling at her. Zoey cringed, clenching her eyes shut. He moved her hands to his neck, and he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Zoey, just listen to me. Yeah, I like you. I definitely like you. Its not just the sex, but you dont understand. I don't want things to get ruined wtih us."

"What- what do you mean?"

"I mean, what if we broke up?" she opened her eyes at his words. "I don't think... that I'd be OK if anything we had got destroyed."

Zoey blinked and put her head on his chest. "Paul... I..."

"I know. " he put his hand on the back of her head. "I know. Its hard. Come on." He let go of her and turned around. He crouched down and went on, "Get on. I'll bring you home."

She wrapped her arms around his neck from behind. He put his hands on the back of her thighs, lifting her up. He stood up straight, and said, "Don't worry anymore, and just rest. You're gonna get sick." he looked over her shoulder at her, and gave her a half-smile. "I'll take care of you."

He carried her home in the rain, letting her silently cry into his shoulder. When he got to the gym, despite Maylene's questions and accusations, he brought her to her bedroom and laid her down on her bed. He went into her dresser and pulled out a pair of pajamas pants and a dry shirt for her.

Paul walked back over to her, holding them in his hands as he said, "Get changed. You're going to catch a cold."

Zoey sat up, mumbling something as she grabbed the clothes. She stood up and pulled off her shirt. She reached behind her and unhooked her bra, letting it slide down her arms. Before she put her shirt back on, she said, quietly, "Let's... forget that tonight ever happened." she turned around to him, still topless. "And don't let my intense vulnerability be any kind of signal, but would you stay a little longer?"

Paul reached out to her, grabbing her hips and pulling her forward. "Of course I will."

A month later, Zoey took the pregnancy test. She didn't know how far along she was, until she went to the doctors and they said only a month. She knew exactly when it happened, too. When he brought her home and stayed with her for a little while, they had gotten so heated, neither of them realized that they weren't using protection. Zoey didn't even remember until she took the test.

When Paul came home for a visit from Unova, two months later, the first thing he said to Zoey was: "Holy shit."

She harrumphed, folding her arms over her slightly pertruded stomach. She leaned on one foot, standing in the living room of the Samuels' household. Other than her obvious pregnancy, nothing about her hand changed. Well, besides the fact that Zoey had to bend her head back a little bit more to see Paul's face, since he had gotten taller.

"What a wonderful way to greet your friend." she snapped, glaring at him. "Nice to see you too, you ass."

"Zoey!" he exclaimed, his eyes wide. "You-You-You-"

"I don't think," Reggie said, sitting on the couch next to Maylene, "I've ever seen Paul get tongue tied."

Paul grabbed her wrist gently. "We need to talk."

"I know." he pulled her up the stairs and into his bedroom. Zoey swore she was having deja vu. She closed the door behind her, watching him start to pace, his hands on his head.

"Oh. My God." he repeated over and over. All of a sudden, he fell onto his back on the bed, and said, "You're pregnant. Oh my God."

Then, the first lie.

"Its not yours."

Paul blinked, staring at the ceiling. He sat up and looked at her, his eyes hurt. "What?"

Zoey looked down at the blue shirt that made her stomach obvious. Lie #2.

"You don't know him."

"What... what?"

Lie #3.

"After you left... I... got lonely. I met this guy and... we just hit it off." she couldn't meet his eyes. "He took me out to dinner... we went back to his house and... you know, did it."

"Just once?"

"...no." Paul stood up. Zoey went on, "He's my boyfriend."

She lost count of the lies. Paul walked over to her and lifted her chin to look at her. Almost hopeful, he asked, "Do you regret it?"

Then, the final lie.

"After you left me?" she snapped. "I regret sleeping with you more than I regret sleeping with Anthony."

That hurt, and she knew it. She was trying to hurt him. Her words finally got to him. She got the reaction she wanted: he averted his eyes, dropping his chin to his chest. He shook his head and shoved his hands in his pockets. Finally, he cleared his throat and said, "How long after?"

Her brain rattled. A month was too far after. It wouldn't make sense. The same day? No, that won't work. She heard herself speaking before she realized it: "A week."

He exhaled, like he was trying not to groan. "You... could've come with me."

Zoey looked at him, her eyes wide. "Wh-What?"

"If you told me to, I wouldn't have gone." he shook his head. He snarled, but Zoey knew he wasn't angry with her. "I shouldn't have gone."

Before she could comprehend what she was doing, she put her hands on his face and kissed him hard. He held onto her waist like if he didn't hold her tight, she'd slip through his fingers. When she pulled back, there were tears in her eyes.

"Where was this two months ago?" she cried. Inwardly, she wanted to tell him that she lied, but she couldn't keep him from his travels. He wrapped his arms around her, and she locked her hands behind his back, her arms around his torso.

"I wanna meet this asshole." he muttered. Zoey opened her eyes.

"N-No."

"Why not?"

Because he doesn't exist.

"Because... because he's- he's- I-I mean-" she sighed. "You can't. He lives... far. I-In Snowpoint." she widened her eyes, suddenly setting her story straight. "Yeah!" she cleared her throat. "I-I went to Snowpoint after you left, and I met him there."

Paul didn't say anything. Instead, he sat on the edge of his bed, pulling her to sit on his lap. But she moved to sit with her knees by his hips. She kissed him, even though she just told him she had a boyfriend. Paul didn't seem to care much either. After a little while, Maylene and Zoey went back to the gym. It was cold, since it was January, so the first thing Maylene did was turn up the heat. The first thing Zoey did was cry.

"ZoZo!" Maylene gasped, seeing her sister sitting on the couch sobbing. Her shoulders racked. The pink haired girls at next to her, hugging her. "Why are you crying?"

So, Zoey told her everything, all the way back to Gianni. She finished her story with, "And now, Paul doesn't know that its his baby and he can't seem to get it through his thick freaking skull that I love him! And-And he wants to meet my non-existant boyfriend." she rolled her eyes. "Anthony doesn't even exist."

"You have to tell him."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because he's... he's going back to Unova." Zoey shook her head, her head on her sister's shoulder. "I don't want him to stay here when he already has four of his badges."

"That's so brave of you, Zoey." Maylene put her arm around her. "I guess... Reggie's always been so close...I never realized that...well, I don't know what I'd do if he was traveling around a whole different region."

"You can't tell anyone, Maylene." Zoey looked up at her, her brown eyes swollen red. "At all. Absolutely no one." she shook her head again. "I don't want him to worry about me too much."

Maylene hestiated, but said, "Alright. But... promise me you'll tell him one day, ok?"

"Alright."

While Paul was in Veilstone, he tried to spend as much time as he could with her. Every morning, he went to the Gym to check on her, and stayed with her until his brother called for him to come home or Maylene got sick of his face.

On the third morning, a Friday, Paul didn't go over until about noon, since Zoey had said she was meeting Alicia for breaktfast. When he got to her home, he called out her name, but she didn't answer. He walked through the kitchen and hallway to her room. He knocked on the door, but again, he heard nothing. Silently, he listened hard. Finally, he heard something coming from the bathroom directly across from her bedroom door.

Paul knocked on the door and said, "Zoey?"

"P-Paul?" she stammered. Her voice was trembling.

"Are you alright?" he asked. She hesitated, but told him that she was fine. Of course, he didn't believe her, and asked again if she was alright. When she didn't answer, he opened the door, begining to say, "Zoey, what's-"

When he saw her, his chest got heavy. She was sitting on the ground, her bare legs and shirt covered in blood.

"Zoey-" he gasped, dropping to his knees in front of her. He put his hands on her shoulders and said, "What happened?"

She looked up at him, tears falling down her face quickly. She shook her head, like she couldn't speak. Instead, she choked up a sob and cried out. Paul grabbed a towel and wet it in the sink. He went back to her and started to wipe some blood from her legs. She cried for a few minutes, until she said quietly, "Paul... I... lost... our child."

His head snapped up, his black eyes wide. He started to stammer out a question, confused, when he realized what she meant. It wasn't that she couldn't find the baby. It fell out of her. She had a miscarriage.

"God." he muttered, wrapping his arms around her. She hugged him tight, clenching her fingers in his tee-shirt. She cried into his chest as he stroked her short, scarlet hair. "Zoey, I'm so sorry."

"I... was going to name her Annalise." she whispered. "Anna for short."

"Zoey," he said, putting his hands on her red cheeks. "I'm going to call Maylene, alright?"

"Why?"

"Because I don't know what we're supposed to do when... this happens." she shut her eyes and he kissed her forehead. "Just stay here. I'll be right back."

After Paul got ahold of her sister, she rushed home and called Zoey's doctor. When the obstetrician got there, she simply said that the bleeding would stop in a few hours, that the worst part was over. Zoey would feel cramps, like period cramps, but otherwise, she would be fine. After Paul and Maylene helped her clean up and got her into bed, at the red head's request, they buried her fetus in the backyard.

But the worst part wasn't over. After that, Paul didn't go back to Unova. He stayed with Zoey, even though most of the time she didn't get out of bed. And when she did, it was to pee, eat her meal of the week, and get drunk. Well, more or less to get beer and get drunk in her bed.

One morning, Maylene stormed into her room and pulled the blanket off of her sister. The girl cringed, and curled up into a ball.

"Zoey," Maylene snapped, her hands on her hips. "You're my sister, so I love you to death. You're also one of my best friends, so I love you even more! But you've been in your bed for two months. I get that its hard, but-"

"You get that its hard?" Zoey said. "How could you get that its hard?" she rolled over and stared up at her sister, glaring. "Maylene, my baby- my daughter-" she sat up, her eyes swollen from her constant crying. "She isn't here. She was inside me for three months, and that was it. You don't understand, Maylene." she shook her head, her eyes welling up. "I had her named and I knew where I wanted to raise her and what elementary school she could have gone to. I-I imagined myself getting her first Pokemon Badge or Ribbon, when she was 10 years old."

"Zoey..." Maylene's voice trailed off.

"It-It was horrible." she sniffed. "It was like she was... pushing down in me." she put her hand on her stomach. "Like...like when you're... tucked in bed, and trying to get out, but you can't? It was like that. Except-" tears fell down her face. "-Except she got her way. She got out of me."

Maylene's own eyes were tearing at her sister's depressed and pained expression. She went on, "I... think about... you know, getting married to some great guy who wants kids... and not being able to give him that." the older girl sat down on the bed and put her arm around her as she spoke. "I don't know what I would do if I can't. I feel like... I don't even deserve to live anymore."

"Zoey!" she ghouted, gasping. "Don't even think like that!"

"Too late." Zoey pulled away from her and laid back down, holding the pillow to her chest.

"But... what about- what about-" Maylene paused, unable to think of anything. Finally, she said, "What about Paul? I mean, you were so in love with him."

"That doesn't matter anymore." she whispered, her voice cracking. "Can... you just go?"

Maylene nodded and leaned over, kissing the top of her head. She stood up, and walked out of the room. But as she stepped into the hallway, she turned her head, and saw the purple haired boy leaning against the wall, his hands in his pockets. His head was back agaisnt the wall, and his eyes were closed.

His eyes opened, and he nodded at her in acknowledgement. She smiled sadly, and said, "She's really upset."

"I know... I heard." he paused before walking inside the room. He shut the door behind him and said, "Hey."

Zoey didn't move. She had pulled the covers back over her. He walked to her and laid down next to her. He put his arm around her and scooted close. He thought his chest was against her back, but she pulled the blanket down past her head and she was facing towards him.

"Hi." she mumbled, her mouth barely moving.

"How do you feel?"

"Horrible. I wish I was drunk."

"No more drinking." he lifted up his hand and pushed her bangs off her forehead. "You're going to get addicted."

"I already am." she put her head down on his chest. He was silent, and she said quietly, "She... the baby... was yours."

"I know."

"How?" she asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Maylene explained everything to me."

"When?"

"...About a week after."

"Oh, God." she put her hand on his arm, squeezing hard. But it didn't hurt like it usually would have. When Paul really looked at her, he saw how thin she was. "Paul, I-" but she stopped.

"Zoey?"

"Mm?"

He hesitated again, hugging her tight. "You love me?"

She gasped quietly, her eyes opening. Her heart thumped hard, until she answered, "Yeah. I do."

"For... how long?"

She scoffed and looked up at him. "Since before I slept with Gianni. That's why I slept with him- so I wouldn't have feelings for you. But... you don't love me too."

"Who said that?"

"What?"

He pushed his lips against hers quickly, and said, with his forehead against hers, "Of course I love you."

_Paul's POV_

After that, Zoey started to get a little better. About a week after, she got out of bed and I brought her a big cheeseburger and french fries from a restaurant downtown. She ate a few bites, and said she felt sick. I made her eat a little more, though, and then she laid down on the couch in the living room. I sat on the ground near her, making sure she was alright.

I really didn't leave her side at all. She doesn't know this, but I blew off the Unova league. I can't tell her- she'd be so upset with me. But when she get even better, I'm going to ask her to travel with me. I don't know when that'll be, but I don't mind. I'm going to wait until she's better, not because I'm her boyfriend, but because I'm also one of her best friends, and I can't wait to see her happy again.

I miss her smile. She hasn't smiled or laughed in months. Though, neither have I, so its given. I feel absolutely horrible for not realizing that she had feelings for me and leaving her pregnant. If what Maylene said is right, when I left, she was one month pregnant. That would mean that there was no Anthony. I should have figured it out, but of course, being the dense bastard that I am, I didn't.

Right now, I'm with Zoey. Its been about six months since her miscarriage, and she's able to leave the house now. She has nightmares sometimes, so I usually spend the night with her, like tonight. I thought she was asleep in her bed, until I hear her say, "Paul? Are you awake?"

I sit up from where I'm laying on the ground. "Are you alright?"

"Can-Will-I mean-"

I stand up and sit on the edge of her bed. She puts her arms around my torso and pulls me down next to her. She says, "Will you sleep with me?"

"Sure." I crawl under her covers next to her, and hug her. She hugs me back and buries her head in my chest. I put my hand on the back of her head. Its dark, so I can't really see, but I knew she kissed me and pulled away quickly. I kiss her, and mod my head away. I close my eyes, but she moves her head and kisses my jaw. I look at her, my eyes adjusted to the darkness.

"Zoey-" I start to say, but she cuts me off when she says, "I asked you to sleep with me. Not sleep next to me."

"Oh." I feel my face heat up, embarassed. "Not now, alright? You had a long day. We'll talk in the morning, OK?"

"...Alright." I can tell she's upset, so I kiss her again. When she falls asleep, I watch her sleep for a bit before falling to sleep myself. The next morning, when I wake up, I feel something on top of me. I look up, and see a flash of scarlet in my face. It takes me a second to register that Zoey is laying on top of me. I don't mind, since she's so light. Her cheek is mashed against my chest, her hands on my shoulders. I wrap my arms around her waist, and kiss the top of her head.

I guess she was awake, because she moves her head and looks at me. Her eyes are wide. They look innocent. Sad, but innocent. She blinks and says, "Oh. Sorry- I-I woke up and-and I just-"

"Don't worry- I don't mind." I smile a bit. "Its a nice way to wake up."

"Really?" she blushes, and, to my surprise, smiles back at me. I can't help but grin.

"You're smiling." I say. She blinks again, shaking her head.

"What do you mean?"

"I haven't seen you smile in six months."

"Well," she frowns. "I had a reason."

"I know." I run my fingers through her short hair.

I guess on some level, I've always kind of known how I felt about Zoey. When I think about it, I realize that I always wanted to be around her, for no real reason. Maybe I didn't know it was because I thought that she was with "Anthony," or just didn't feel the same way.

When I heard Maylene say that she was in love with me, I couldn't help thinking, "Thank God," like I was hoping for it. But in reality, I was. I finally was with Zoey. She was my girlfriend now. I worry, though, when she wants to have sex. We haven't since before I left for Unova, and I don't want to hurt her. I mean, I don't really know anything about pregnancy or miscarriages, but I do know that when a woman loses her baby, it literally falls out of her.

I guess that's my main concern, when Zoey scoots up so her chest is against mine and presses her mouth against mine in a long, slow kiss. When she pulled away, she looked at me with eyes that can really only be described as "bedroom eyes." She says, "Paul... about last night."

"Yeah?"

"Will you please have sex with me?" she shakes her head. "I... I really want you."

I look at her for a moment, and then kiss her. I move her so that I laid on top of her. I stand on my hands and knees over her, but she wraps her arms around my neck and pulls me down hard on top of her. I fumble with the buttons of her blue, fleece shirt, feeling nervous for whatever reason. I got half of the buttons undone right as she struggled to pull my own shirt off of my torso. I let her slide my shirt up my arms and toss it down on the ground.

I kiss her again and get the rest of the buttons undone. She lifts her back up off the bed and I push it down her arms. I pull it out from under her and discard it. She's wearing a plain black cotton bra, and, while she was up off the bed, I reach under her and unhook it. I throw it aside and kiss her neck. She clenches her fingers in my purple hair and quietly moans into my ear.

We make our way out of the rest of our clothes, and I put on a condom that she had in her nightstand drawer. As nervous as I was, everything I felt faded away when we began moving together. She cringed every once in a while, but it vanishes when she moans or mumbles something incoherently.

I knelt between her legs, the back of her thighs on mine. I kept one arm under her back, and she had both of her arms around my neck. As we started to climb higher, I forgot everything that had happened. She was never pregnant or depressed, and I never went to Unova. We were just... us, together again. And it wasn't special because it was our first times or the result of some romantic evening.

It was special because it was us.

_Zoey's POV_

Making love to Paul was the best idea I had to make me forget. Since getting drunk wasn't doing the trick just yet, I figured that was the next best thing. Of course, it was really just to forget. It wasn't because I was suddenly turned on by one of his facial expressions, like I used to be.

But today, when I looked at him, after he kissed the top of my head, I felt my heart start to race like it used to. My throat was dry, and my stomach was in knots, and suddenly I remembered what it felt like to be in love again. I guess I had forgotten, with all that was going on.

I felt like I was reconnecting with him- physically and mentally. He was edging his way back into every thought, hanging on every word that I spoke. I almost forgot the way he made me feel- so safe and sound all the time. With his arms wrapped around me, I felt like my old self again- happy and smiling and cheerful. I got depressed sometimes, too, and Paul was the only one who realized it the first time. And he stayed with me almost 24/7 for the last six months. Time he could've spent doing things to further his-

_Normal POV_

Zoey gasped, sitting up quickly. The blanket fell off of her, and Paul sat up next to her, too, his eyes wide.

"What?" he exclaimed, putting his hand on her arm. The red head looked at him and put her hand on her bare chest. She was still all tingly from the sex, and Paul's touch gave her goosebumps. She tried to put it out of her mind and she said, "Paul! You were supposed to back to Unova!"

His face turned red. He hesitated, and answered, "Yeah... but-"

"But nothing, Paul!" she yelled, standing up. She walked across the room naked until she picked up a bathrobe from her dresser, saying, "God, you stayed here with me instead, didn't you?" she tied it in front of her, not moving. "Why'd you do that? Why didn't you go?" she turned back to him, watching him put his boxers on and stand up. "You should have gone."

"And leave you here depressed so badly I thought you were actually going to drink yourself to suicide?" he scoffed. "Right. Sure. I may be an asshole, but I'm not that much of an asshole."

"But you had four badges."

"I'll go back another time. With you."

She paused, folding her arms over her chest. "With me?"

Paul walked over ot her and put his hands on her arms. "Of cocurse. Zoey, I'm not leaving you again."

"Its not like I'm going to get pregnant again."

"That's not the point." he said, shaking his head. "Whether your pregnant or not doesn't have to do with it. I'm not going to leave you because I love you."

Zoey started to tear up, and he asked her why. When she answered, she sniffed and wiped her eyes, saying, "Because I'm afraid I'm going to and this is all a dream. I'm still going to be pregnant and you'll be as dense as ever and not know how I feel about you."

"I promise you, this is real life."

She nodded her head and hugged his neck tight, like if she let go he would disappear. Sure, she wished that she had had her baby. By now, she would've been at least 8 and a half months along. In a few weeks, she would have an adorable little girl named Anna Katherine Bruno (unless she had purple hair, in which that case, she would obviously be Paul's and she could have his last name).

But she had Paul. Her first real love and probably her only. She carried his child for a while. Who knows- maybe she'd get to to do it again, full time. She didn't want to think about the future anymore. She stopped planning ten and twelve years in advanced, and tried for ten and twelve hours. Hours she'd spend with Paul.

The farthest Zoey planned was three months later, when they left to travel Unova for the upcoming league and Grand Festival. They might not have came in first at the very end, but they were together. Sure, it took a while. But they weren't "he and she" or "Paul and Zoey"- they were "us." "Them." "They," even. And that was enough for them.

It would have been wonderful to have a daughter- or a son- but for the time being, all they needed was each other. And now that they had each other, they couldn't get enough. They had each other, and that was all that mattered.

* * *

><p>I actually finished this about a week ago. I've just been grounded on and off so I haven't been able to upload it:P my first pregnancy story! I'm working on another one now! Only this time, Paul is <em>not <em>happy. lol thanks for reading! ^_^ review my loves3


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